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What Causes Severe Pain In Neck Along With Headaches?
Question: I am experiencing severe pain in my neck along with headaches. I do have numbness in some of my fingers. My MRI showed the following:
C3-4 & C4-5 Minimal spondylosis and disc bulging. No significant stenosis. Unchanged
C5-6 Mild symetric spondylosis and disc bulging. Small central disc protrusion contacts and slightly deforms the ventrical cord. This appears unchanged. No advanced foraminal stenosis.
Impression:
Relativley mild/early cervical spondylosis and scattered facet osteoarthropathy. Mild symmetric disc bulging and a small central disc protusion at C5-6 with minimal contact along the ventral cord and slight cord deformity. There is no radiografically advanced stenosis/impingemen identified. The cord signal is normal.
What does this mean? Does this mean surgery is in my future? What can I do to get out of pain everyday. (P.S. I can not take pain pills due to my severe intolerance to them.)
Thanks :) XXXXXXX
C3-4 & C4-5 Minimal spondylosis and disc bulging. No significant stenosis. Unchanged
C5-6 Mild symetric spondylosis and disc bulging. Small central disc protrusion contacts and slightly deforms the ventrical cord. This appears unchanged. No advanced foraminal stenosis.
Impression:
Relativley mild/early cervical spondylosis and scattered facet osteoarthropathy. Mild symmetric disc bulging and a small central disc protusion at C5-6 with minimal contact along the ventral cord and slight cord deformity. There is no radiografically advanced stenosis/impingemen identified. The cord signal is normal.
What does this mean? Does this mean surgery is in my future? What can I do to get out of pain everyday. (P.S. I can not take pain pills due to my severe intolerance to them.)
Thanks :) XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
No surgical indication
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX I have been through your question and understand your concern.
Neck pain is very common and in front of persisting and debilitating type of pain it is very important to rule out any progressive condition that might cause this kind pain by MRI. You should also notice that neck pain has several factors included like muscular, ligamentous, articular and radicular.
MRI is important to find out any possible nervous structure involved with the neck pain in order to prevent further complications.
In your case this is a normal MRI and there is no need for immediate nor medium term surgery and probably long term as well. In the MRI reported the only findings which can cause the neck pain is the facet osteoarthropaty. This might need some antiinflammatory drugs, but not necessarily.
I suggest you to use for a couple of weeks tiocolchicoside (for muscular relief) and simple acetaminophen. Talk to your GP about this.
No surgical indication
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX I have been through your question and understand your concern.
Neck pain is very common and in front of persisting and debilitating type of pain it is very important to rule out any progressive condition that might cause this kind pain by MRI. You should also notice that neck pain has several factors included like muscular, ligamentous, articular and radicular.
MRI is important to find out any possible nervous structure involved with the neck pain in order to prevent further complications.
In your case this is a normal MRI and there is no need for immediate nor medium term surgery and probably long term as well. In the MRI reported the only findings which can cause the neck pain is the facet osteoarthropaty. This might need some antiinflammatory drugs, but not necessarily.
I suggest you to use for a couple of weeks tiocolchicoside (for muscular relief) and simple acetaminophen. Talk to your GP about this.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
Would I benefit from steroid injections in my neck? They want to refer me for surgery and i am opposed to surgery.
Brief Answer:
They are an option you could explore
Detailed Answer:
Hello. Yes I agree with the idea of steroid injections, unless you are diabetic and/or hypertensive which may be relative contraindications to their use. You could benefit from them, but it neds to be explored with your doctor locally, the person who administers the injection would need to evaluate your history and your scans.
Wish you the best health.
They are an option you could explore
Detailed Answer:
Hello. Yes I agree with the idea of steroid injections, unless you are diabetic and/or hypertensive which may be relative contraindications to their use. You could benefit from them, but it neds to be explored with your doctor locally, the person who administers the injection would need to evaluate your history and your scans.
Wish you the best health.
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
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